Candidates can start applying to run for local government in North Slope Borough and Northwest Arctic Borough.
For North Slope, opening positions include four seats on the borough Assembly – two in Barrow, one in Wainwright and one in Anaktuvuk Pass, – as well as two school board seats for Utqiagvik and Point Hope. All seats have three-year terms. For Northwest Alaska, four assembly seats and three school board seats will open.
In North Slope Borough Assembly, from six seats representing Utqiagvik, two seats – occupied by Crawford Patkotak and Herman Ahsoak – will open up this fall. Two more seats that will be up for grabs are Wainwright, occupied by John Hopson Jr., and the sole seat for Anaktuvuk Pass and Kaktovik, taken now by Jerry Sikvayugak, who expressed his intent to run for re-election.
Vernon Edwardsen, Trina Paul, Doreen Ahgeak Lampe and Lars Nelson will keep their Utqiagvik seats. The rest of the assembly that will stay the same this year include Eva Kinneeveauk representing Point Hope, Thomas K. Napageak, Jr. at the Nuiqsut seat and William Tracey, Sr. at Point Lay and Atqasuk.
The North Slope Borough Assembly enacts laws, appropriates funds for the North Slope Borough School District and various departments, awards contracts over $300,000, and establishes the mill levies (which allow local jurisdictions to raise money from property taxes), confirms appointments and certifies borough elections.
A person filing for election to a seat on the North Slope Borough Assembly must be a resident of the borough for at least six months and a resident of the district they would be assigned to. An assembly member can’t hold any other borough employment.
The period to nominate candidates for North Slope Borough started on July 6 and will run until Aug. 25. Nominating Petition Forms are available for printing online at www.north-slope.org. Candidates shall be nominated by a petition signed by at least 25 qualified voters who are residents of the North Slope Borough.
The North Slope Borough School District School Board of Education consists of seven elected members, two of whom will free their seats this fall.
One member whose term is expiring is Nancy Rock, who is the school board president and fills the Point Hope and Point Lay seat. Additionally, one out of four seats representing Utqiagvik – currently occupied by Frieda Nageak – will open up, though Nageak said she will be running again for her current seat.
Robyn Burke, Qaiyaan Harcharek and Charles Brower will keep their Utqiagvik seats until next year. Nora Jane Burns will stay in the Kaktovik seat and Madeline Hickman in the seat for Wainwright.
Absentee voting starts Sept. 19, 2022, borough clerk Shela Burke said.
The Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly is comprised of 11 members, and the election will open four seats. One seat represents Kivalina, Noatak, Baird Mountains, Kiana and Noovik. Another seat is for Buckland, Deering, Selawik and Selawik area. The third opening seat represents Ambler, Shungnak, Kobuk and Kobuk area. The fourth is for Kotzebue, Krusenstern, Igichuck Hills Hotham Inlet and Cape Blossom.
Three Northwest Arctic Borough School Board seats will open up as well.
Nominating petitions for the Northwest Arctic Borough are accepted from June 6 until Aug. 22. The municipal elections will be held on Oct. 4.